Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Defence has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

The total direct expenditure by Defence Force Recruiting on recruitment into the Australian Defence Force in the period:

(a) 1 January to 30 June 2011 was $86.854m

(b) 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011 was $142.110m

While ceremonial activities and community based activities have an indirect benefit to recruitment, they are not classified as direct recruitment costs and as such are not included in these costs.

The expenditure in the twelve month period was abnormally high largely as a result of the transition of the Recruiting Services contract from Chandler McLeod Group (CMG) to Manpower Services (Australia) Pty Ltd (Manpower). These additional costs related to the resolution of a number of contractual issues as part of the termination of the CMG contract and payments to Manpower to facilitate their transition-in during the period 14 December 2009 to 1 February 2010.